Yoga Winter Recipes: for a balanced body and winter glow this holiday season

On and off the mat, yoga is all about balance. Winter has a habit of knocking you off your feet...or at least those three gin fizzes you made light work of at the Christmas party certainly did! Alongside your grounding yoga practice, we’ve put together some beautifully balancing winter recipes to help keep you in tiptop shape this holiday season. That way you can concentrate on the important work of putting together your Christmas list to ask Santa for those Blossom Yoga Wear Yoga leggings and Yoga Tops you’ve had your eye on.

Winter Warming Salad
It’s a complete myth that salads have to be A) boring and B) just for summer. A winter warming salad is just what the yogini ordered as an immune-boosting accompaniment to lunch, dinner or as a post-yoga snack. Try out our favourite, with festive citrus flavours (via The Tart Tart)...

Citrus Salad with Rosemary and Olives
Ingredients:
Several sprigs of fresh rosemary
A handful of black pitted olives
3 navel oranges
3 blood oranges
Salt and black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Method:

Start by frying off the rosemary sprigs for 10-15 seconds before removing them from the pan and seasoning with salt.
Fry the olives for a few minutes and then chop them before mixing with the rosemary.
Peel and pith the oranges before slicing them around 1cm thick.
Season the oranges with salt and pepper before scattering the olive and rosemary mix on top and drizzling with olive oil.

If this recipe has got you feeling fruity, then check out our pineapple yoga pants.

Hearty Healthy Soup
As it ‘tis the season to stuff your face, a detoxifying soup will go a long way. A winter soup makes a great alternative to our summer green juice obsession. We heart this Yoga Journal winter warmer...

Vegan Creamy Cauliflower with Garlic Kale
Ingredients (serves 4):
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 red onion chopped
4 chopped garlic cloves
950 ml vegetable broth
1 cup packed kale leaves
1 lemon, zested and juice

Method:
Fry cauliflower, onions and half the garlic for several minutes.
Add the vegetable broth and simmer for 10 minutes before blending.
Blend the kale leaves with lemon juice and zest, along with the remaining garlic, then drizzle over the cauliflower soup.

Healthy Sweet Treats
If you think we’re going to give up chocolate this winter, then you can “Kiss My Asana”. But instead of devouring an entire Chocolate Orange in one fell swoop, why not try a healthier alternative to make you feel both smug and satisfied at the same time!

Chocolate and Coconut Bliss Balls
Ingredients (makes 16 balls):
12 dates
120g almond meal
60g shredded coconut, plus 40g more for rolling
40g coconut oil
40g cacao powder
1 tablespoon chia seeds

Method:
Use a food processor to the mix dates, almond meal, coconut, coconut oil, cacao powder and chia seeds together
Stand for 20 minutes
Roll a tablespoon of mixture into balls and roll in shredded coconut to coat.

Keep in shape with these healthy yoga winter recipes so you can rest assured you won’t be on the naughty list this Christmas.